Nov 7, 2025
IBM has released the latest "IBM i on Power - Performance FAQ" dated Nov 2025.
The online PDF to it can be found here
Note: It is also listed on the "IBM i Extras" page.
IBM Unveils Beta MCP Server to Transform AI on IBM i
IBM "(A)i on GRC - ISO 27001"
Oct 21, 2025
John Flack - IBM i Engineer | GRC & Quantitative Risk Specialist has written the
"(A)i on GRC" which has explored ISO / IEC 27001 clause by clause translating one
of the world’s most influential governance frameworks into the language of IBM i
security, audit, and modernization.
John states "Together, these articles form a complete walk-through of the ISO
27001 management system as applied to IBM i."
ISO 27001 is defined as: The leading international standard that formally specifies the requirements for
establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an Information
Security Management System (ISMS).
In essence, it provides a systematic, structured, and risk-based approach to
managing and protecting an organization's sensitive information assets to ensure
their:
Confidentiality: Ensuring information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.
Integrity: Safeguarding the accuracy and completeness of information and processing methods.
Availability: Ensuring authorized users have access to information and associated assets when required.
The standard is applicable to organizations of all types and sizes across all sectors, helping them manage security risks, reduce vulnerabilities to threats like cyberattacks, and meet contractual and regulatory obligations.
In order, the clauses are: (Right click to open each clause in a new tab).
John goes on to say:
"Each installment follows the same principle: governance only matters when it
lives in the system.
I hope you'll see in this series that a 'legacy platform' running decades-deep
I hope you'll see in this series that a 'legacy platform' running decades-deep
workloads in some cases can meet modern standards of governance, risk, and
compliance when we learn to speak both its technical and organizational dialects.
Together, these articles form a complete walkthrough of the ISO 27001 management system as applied to IBM i from intent to implementation, and from evidence to improvement."
Free IBM i Educational Courses
Oct 17, 2025
There was an IBM "TechXchange Community Daily" email dated Oct 16, 2025. In the email was a message stating:
"Announcing two free IBM i courses: DL06004G and DL06005G."
The link to this announcement can be found here .... and a few others listed below.
Note: An IBM ID is needed to logon or an IBM ID can be created on the fly.
"Project BOB"
Oct 14, 2025
IBM has announced "Project BOB" for developing better code. Per @Steve Will on his IBM i blog on Tech Channel:
"The IBM i community has been waiting for an AI coding assistant to help with the immense volume of critical software written in RPG and other languages. We’ve been talking about such an assistant, and how it can help address the need for IBM i skills while also guiding application modernization. Today, that assistant was announced. These requirements are some of the many which are addressed by Project Bob. We are excited to use Project Bob as the foundational tool to help our clients move forward on IBM i and Power."
Steve's Tech Channel "You and I" Blog can be found here
The IBM "Project Bob" page can be found here
Article from ITJungle can be found here
Project "BOB" YouTube Channel can be found here
What Is IBM Project Bob? Full Demo Breakdown from TechXchange 2025
Nice video by @Josh Spurgin can be found here
Tech Channel Article: "Project Bob Supercharges IBM i’s Plans for an AI Code Assistant" can be found here
Link to the IBM i Reference Pages Blog "MCP Server" posting can be found here
@George VanEaton writes the @RPG Blend Newsletter. His article titled "Project Bob, VS Code, and the Future of IBM i Development: What Managers Should Prepare For" is a good read. It can be found here
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From @Neil Whittle - IBMi Consultant, Author, Speaker, AI Enabler, RPG expert:
"Bob is more than just a coding assistant. Whether it's a modernization project or building something new, with agentic workflows, built- in security and enterprise-grade deployment flexibility, Bob has the power to transform across the full SDLC to become the go-to IDE."
"Bob is an ai-powered IDE and pair developer. More thanjust auto-complete or suggestions, a developer can use Architect Mode to scope and design complex systems or collaborate in Code Mode to move fast and iterate efficiently."
"Throughout the SDLC, from design through coding, testing, deployment and maintenance,B ob retains context across editing sessions, so developers don't have to switch tools or lose track."
"Bob supports enterprise constraints (security, governance, on-prem/cloud, compliance) more deeply than consumer grade or single-task A1 tools so tasks can be done with full awareness of dependencies to help you deliver secure,
production-ready code."
production-ready code."
"Bob breaks down complex tasks and coordinates specialized agents across code, tests, documentation and pipelines. There is in-built functionality to bring in quantum security and other compliance and vulnerability scans directly into the IDE."
"You can run Bob on macOS, Windows or Linux and deploy in your cloud to meet governance and data-residency requirements. Use 'BobShell' to create
repeatable, self-documenting workflows, deal for CI/CD pipelines and recipe-driven
upgrades."
repeatable, self-documenting workflows, deal for CI/CD pipelines and recipe-driven
upgrades."
"It seems likely that both the Watsonx Code Assistant for Z for Cobol (released in
October 2028) and Watsonx Code Assistant for RPG on the IBM I (still in
preview) will be integrated directly into Project Bob, offering developers an
unrivalled ai-powered IDE!"
October 2028) and Watsonx Code Assistant for RPG on the IBM I (still in
preview) will be integrated directly into Project Bob, offering developers an
unrivalled ai-powered IDE!"
Diagnostic QSYSOPR Message Queue SQL
Oct 10, 2025
Sometimes you need a method to diagnose the QSYSOPR message queue to find out when a message was answered, who answered it and how it was answered.
This SQL provides that for you. The SQL posted here looks back 7 days and is adjustable.
--- QSYSOPR System Messages ---
--- Who answered the message? ---
--- Columns prefixed with the "A" come from the error result
--- and those "B" from the reply result.
--- Who answered the message? ---
--- Columns prefixed with the "A" come from the error result
--- and those "B" from the reply result.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SELECT A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP AS "Date/Time of Error Msg",
A.MESSAGE_ID AS "Msg ID",
A.FROM_JOB AS "Job Generated Error Msg",
A.MESSAGE_TEXT AS "Msg Text",
B.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP AS "Reply Date/Time",
SUBSTR(B.MESSAGE_TEXT, 1, 10) AS "Reply",
A.FROM_USER AS "Reply by"
FROM TABLE (QSYS2.MESSAGE_QUEUE_INFO(QUEUE_LIBRARY => 'QSYS',
QUEUE_NAME => 'QSYSOPR',
SEVERITY_FILTER => 99)) A,
LATERAL (SELECT MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP,
MESSAGE_TEXT, FROM_USER
FROM TABLE (QSYS2.MESSAGE_QUEUE_INFO(QUEUE_LIBRARY => 'QSYS',
QUEUE_NAME => 'QSYSOPR',
SEVERITY_FILTER => 99))
A.MESSAGE_ID AS "Msg ID",
A.FROM_JOB AS "Job Generated Error Msg",
A.MESSAGE_TEXT AS "Msg Text",
B.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP AS "Reply Date/Time",
SUBSTR(B.MESSAGE_TEXT, 1, 10) AS "Reply",
A.FROM_USER AS "Reply by"
FROM TABLE (QSYS2.MESSAGE_QUEUE_INFO(QUEUE_LIBRARY => 'QSYS',
QUEUE_NAME => 'QSYSOPR',
SEVERITY_FILTER => 99)) A,
LATERAL (SELECT MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP,
MESSAGE_TEXT, FROM_USER
FROM TABLE (QSYS2.MESSAGE_QUEUE_INFO(QUEUE_LIBRARY => 'QSYS',
QUEUE_NAME => 'QSYSOPR',
SEVERITY_FILTER => 99))
WHERE CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) >= CURRENT DATE - 7 DAYS AND
CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) <= CURRENT DATE
AND ASSOCIATED_MESSAGE_KEY = A.MESSAGE_KEY) B
ORDER BY "Date/Time of Error Msg" ASC
CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) <= CURRENT DATE
AND ASSOCIATED_MESSAGE_KEY = A.MESSAGE_KEY) B
ORDER BY "Date/Time of Error Msg" ASC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other date options are:
--- Single Date
--- WHERE CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) LIKE '%2025-08-03%'
--- AND ASSOCIATED_MESSAGE_KEY = A.MESSAGE_KEY) B
--- WHERE CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) LIKE '%2025-08-03%'
--- AND ASSOCIATED_MESSAGE_KEY = A.MESSAGE_KEY) B
--- Or
--- Range of Hard Coded Dates
--- WHERE CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) >= YYYY-MM-DD' AND
--- CHAR(A.MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP) <= 'YYYY-MM-DD'
--- AND ASSOCIATED_MESSAGE_KEY = A.MESSAGE_KEY) B
IBM i V7R5 TR7 & V7R6 TR1 Announcements
Nostalgia Vault & Vintage "AS400" TV Ads
Oct 2, 2025
I thought this would be a good time to bring a few smiles to the fall season. On that note, may I present the "Nostalgia Vault & Vintage 'AS400' TV Ads" page.
I think you'll enjoy some of the pictures and links on this page which can be found
IBM Product Security Central
Sept 25, 2025
This came to my attention from a tech thread. It was about IBM i CVE's being able to be SQL'd against the PTF's installed on a system / partition. There is an "IBM Product Security Central" site that looks like this:
It can be found here
Simply enter IBM i in the "Search Security Bulletins" dialog box and the IBM i CVE's will be displayed:
IBM Product Security Central is also listed on the "CVE's" page in the "Other Assets" area of the blog.
The IBM "RFE - Request for Enhancement" / "Ideas" page can be found here
IBM i Podcast: "You, Me and IBM i"
Sept 24, 2025
Some of you may be aware of this but if not, it's the IBM i "You, Me and IBM i" Podcast. Brought to you by IBM'ers Alex Marquis and Kurt Schroeder.
The site states: "The You, Me, and IBM i podcast offers an inside look at the real lives of the technical support experts at the IBM i Global Support Center. Each episode explores a new aspect of support, and leaves listeners better able to solve their own issues and get back to business."
I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. It's a wealth of info.
The home page can be found here
IBM i PRTCMDUSG Command
Sept 23, 2025
Nick Litten @Nick Litten brings us this article about IBM i command PRTCMDUSG. I don't know about you, but I haven't used this command in quite some time. It's extremely handy when planning an OS upgrade. As Nick states: "Even a PTF can change a command's behavior".
Nick's article can be found here
IBM i System Limits / Maximum Capacity
Sept 22, 2025
This is something that is overlooked. It is the IBM i System Limits / Maximum Capacity values. The values can be found here. (Change the OS Version as Needed).
Per IBM "If you exceed system limitations, you might experience an application outage or a system outage. Avoid these types of outages by being aware of the maximum capacities and system limitations in advance."
An example of the # of spooled files allowed on a system / partition: Maximum number of spooled files in the system and basic user ASP's Approximately 2,610,000
An SQL like this can quickly provide the answer to how many spooled files are on your system / partition:
Select NUMBER_KEYS from QSYS2.SYSPARTITIONINDEXES
Where (TABLE_SCHEMA = 'QSPL') and
(TABLE_NAME = 'QASPLINFO') and
(INDEX_NAME = 'QASPDEVQ')
Here is a breakdown of the query:
Select Number_Keys: This specifies the column to be returned. Number_Keys indicates the number of key columns defined for an index.
Select Number_Keys: This specifies the column to be returned. Number_Keys indicates the number of key columns defined for an index.
From QSYS2.SYSPARTITIONINDEXES: This is the target table for the query. SYSPARTITIONINDEXES is a system catalog view that provides details about all indexes built on tables within the database.
Where (TABLE_SCHEMA = 'QSPL'): This condition filters the results to only include indexes in the QSPL library. On an IBM i system, QSPL is the dedicated library where the system stores its spooled file data.
and (TABLE_NAME = 'QASPLINFO'): This further narrows the search to indexes on the QASPLINFO table. This is a system-maintained table within the QSPL library that holds information about spooled files.
and (INDEX_NAME = 'QASPDEVQ'): This specifies the exact index to be queried, which is QASPDEVQ. This index is used by the system to manage spooled file information.
In summary, the query is asking the database for the number of key fields that make up the QASPDEVQ index, which is used internally by the IBM i operating system to manage spooled files.
Sept 17, 2025
Here's something that's kind of neat to configure. It's a bit tricky the first time through. If I could do it, so can you! It was fun to set up and run.
It's the "IBM Navigator for i - Custom Charts". The page for it can be found here.
Note: The IBM page shows a current date but only lists out V7R3, V7R4. Since it is "Nav for i", this will probably work on V7R5, V7R6 as well.
Keep in mind: In the steps IBM walks you through, there is mention of the following: "If for some reason a metric is not displaying correctly or is not retrieved, the icon in the upper right for that chart shows an error condition. To review the list of errors, under the main actions button click the "View Chart Errors" action.
When I built a chart to see how the process played out, the chart I built did not show up. I knew it was right so I checked the error log as IBM instructed. What I found out was, I had to open ACS, click on the "Tools" tab and click on "Navigator Requests". That will open up a dialog box showing your partition(s). Highlight the partition the chart is being built for and start the request. That action will force your new chart to be displayed.
IBM i Announcement on V7R4
Sept 16, 2025
IBM has announced the following:
"Withdrawal from marketing and change in service level: IBM i 7.4 portfolio and additional withdrawals of offerings and features." OS V7R4 Marketing: Withdrawal Date: April 30, 2026. OS V7R4 EOS: Sept 30, 2026. ** ** Extended maintenance will be available.
Read about it here
FORTRA 2026 IBM i Marketplace Survey
Sept 15, 2025
The 13th annual FORTRA IBM i Marketplace Survey is now open. The dates of the survey are Sept 15th to Oct 31st, 2025.
Please spread the word amongst the IBM i community!
How will you use #ibmi in 2026? Give back to the IBM i community by taking the survey today! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Fortra-power-survey
IBM Power Code Matrix
Sept 9, 2025
POWER Code Matrix - Supported code combinations for IBM Power Systems
View a matrix of POWER HMC and system firmware levels. Use these tables
to find supported combinations of HMC and system firmware levels.
The site can be found here
It will look like this for a Power 10 S1014: 9105-41B
Ending Idle ACS Run SQL Script Sessions
Sept 5, 2025
| Description: Users are leaving their "Run SQL Scripts" sessions open for an extended period of time. | ||
| Although there is a configurable option to "automatically close cursor to release locks", | ||
| this does not disconnect the session. This can present a security risk if physical access | ||
| to the connected workstation is compromised. | ||
| How can we use SQL to identify ODBC/JDBC connections that have been idling for a long time | ||
| and proactively disconnect them? |
@Steve Riedmuller of KISCO Systems has a Gist Site containing SQL code that can assist you with this task. His Gist site can be found here. | |
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